Katharine Hepburn Garden Party, May 14, Live Music and Tours

Join us on May 14, 1 PM to 3 PM to celebrate Katharine Hepburn’s birthday (May 12) with a garden party in Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, East 47th Street, Manhattan, featuring FREE live music, refreshments and garden tours. Meet your neighbors, greet city officials and enjoy the unfolding flower palette of spring. (Rain date May 15, same time).

The long-standing tradition dates back to 1997 and the park’s reconstruction when the community dedicated the new garden to the celebrated actress and good neighbor who fought to save the trees, sunlight and the charming character of Turtle Bay. Since then, Friends of DHP has organized the event, co-hosted with the Turtle Bay Association.

Award-winning vocalist Kimberly Hawkey and her band will perform tunes from the Great American Songbook and the Golden Age of Hollywood. Twice-winner of the NYC Cabaret Showdown and a recipient of the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award, her performance style and musical virtuosity continue to wow fans and earn plaudits. BroadwayWorld.com calls her “a delightfully fresh-voiced treat,” while Cabaret Scenes notes Kimberly’s “exceptional musicality”; New York Music Daily praises “an irrepressibly cheery update on 30s and 40s sounds.” She has performed at Birdland Jazz Club, the Iridium, Symphony Space,   and the acclaimed Caramoor Center (Katonah, NY). Her international booking circuit includes the Northeast corridor with frequent appearances in the Hudson River Valley and Catskills.  

Kimberly has produced three genre-spanning CDs, showcasing both her intimate chanteuse/piano offerings, and her versatility as a bandleader. Her brand, Elvanelle Music, conveys story through song with concerts, education programs, and music for special events that bring communities together and transcend time. 

This year, the Bryn Mawr Club, NYC, will be joining the festivities. Hepburn began acting at Bryn Mawr College and graduated in 1928 with a degree in history and philosophy. The actress remained loyal to her alma mater, speaking at graduation ceremonies and other events. In 2006, Bryn Mawr established the Katharine Houghton Hepburn Center and Medal, honoring both the actress and her mother, an 1889 alum, suffragist, and reproductive rights activist. The Hepburn Medal recognizes women whose work embodies the intelligence and independence of the 4-time Oscar winner known for her speaking her mind and breaking the Hollywood mold.  

LOCATION: Dag Hammarskjold Plaza is located on the south side of East 47th Street between 1st Ave (UN Plaza) and 2nd Avenue in Manhattan. The performance will be in the center of park known as the “colonnade performance circle.”

The Friends of Dag Hammarskjold Plaza is  a tax exempt, nonprofit 501(c)(3) community organization serving in cooperation with NYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation.

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Contact: fdhp@hammarskjoldplaza.org